NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES— Variety has named Adrian Perry, Neema Sahni, Jonathan Sperling, and Phillip Hill to its 2026 Music Legal Elite, an annual feature spotlighting the top attorneys behind the music industry's biggest stars, deals, and disputes.
Adrian is an entertainment and technology transactions lawyer in Covington's New York office and serves as co-chair of the firm's Entertainment & Media Industry and Music Industry practices, as well as vice-chair of the Technology and IP Transactions group. He advises leading music, media, technology, sports, and entertainment companies on complex commercial transactions and is helping to shape the future of how content is created, distributed, and consumed. Widely regarded as an authority on the intersection of artificial intelligence and entertainment, Adrian counsels clients on digital content distribution, rights acquisitions, licensing, and data commercialization, including deals involving AI-powered and connected products. A musician who has toured internationally and licensed his original music for film and television, Adrian brings significant firsthand industry experience to his legal practice. Adrian has also been named to Variety’s Legal Impact and Dealmakers Impact Reports and recognized as one of Billboard’s Top Music Lawyers, The Hollywood Reporter’s Top Music Lawyers and New York Power Lawyers, and is ranked by Chambers and Partners in the Media & Entertainment: Advisory and Technology – New York categories.
Based in Covington's Los Angeles office, Neema serves as co-chair of the firm's Commercial Litigation, Entertainment & Media, and Music Industry practices, as well as vice-chair of the Sports Industry group. Drawing upon her experience at the firm and her prior in-house role at The Walt Disney Company, she litigates complex disputes across the music, media, technology, sports, and entertainment industries and serves as trusted counsel to some of the industry's biggest names. Her practice spans royalty disputes, copyright and trademark infringement claims, licensing and distribution-related litigation, and other high-stakes commercial matters affecting record labels, music publishers, content owners, and technology platforms. Alongside an active litigation docket, Neema maintains a robust counseling practice, helping clients assess legal risk and navigate complex music and entertainment transactions. Neema has also been named to Variety’s Legal Impact Report and recognized as one of Billboard’s Top Music Lawyers, The Hollywood Reporter’s Power Lawyers and Top Music Lawyers, and on Forbes’ America’s Top Lawyers list. She has also been named a finalist for The Recorder’s Entertainment Lawyer of the Year award, one of California’s Top Women Lawyers by the Daily Journal, and is ranked by Chambers and Partners in the Media & Entertainment: Litigation category.
Jonathan is a trial lawyer in Covington's New York office and chairs the firm's Music Industry practice. For more than two decades, he has represented record labels, music publishers, and other industry players in high-stakes commercial, copyright, licensing, and distribution disputes. A trusted advisor to leading industry participants, Jonathan has handled some of the most significant matters involving the distribution and monetization of content through digital and emerging media platforms, helping shape the legal framework governing music in the streaming era. Jonathan has also been named to Variety’s Legal Impact Report and recognized as one of Billboard’s Top Music Lawyers and The Hollywood Reporter’s Top Music Lawyers.
Phil is a copyright attorney in Covington's New York office whose practice focuses on the music, media, entertainment, technology, video games, sports, and live entertainment industries. His global practice spans counseling, transactions, litigation, legislation, and regulation involving copyright, trademark, right of publicity, and related intellectual property issues. A trusted advisor to companies, creators, and rightsholders, Phil regularly advises on emerging legal issues involving generative and agentic AI, deepfakes, platform liability, digital content, and music rights. He frequently represents clients before federal and state courts, the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board, and the U.S. Copyright Office. Prior to entering private practice, Phil earned a degree in Music and spent nearly a decade working as an audio engineer in music, television, and film, and also gained in-house experience at Marvel Entertainment and the NFL. He previously served as Chair of the American Bar Association's Music and Performing Arts Committee and has also been recognized as one of Billboard’s Top Music Lawyers and The Hollywood Reporter’s New York Power Lawyers.
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